How to Be a Good Parent and Still Smoke Weed

Forget the naysayers. You can totally be a good – no, great mom or dad – and smoke weed. Because smoking weed does not make you a bad mom or dad. It also doesn’t mean you’re lazy or irresponsible. Unfortunately, such stereotypes exist. And if you’re a mom, no doubt you’ve been side-eyed for your love of cannabis. You’ve probably even heard the obnoxious cry of: “But you’re a mother!” Okay, so maybe not every single person who smokes weed is good at parenting. But not everyone is a good parent period. Here are some surefire ways be an amazing mom or dad and still enjoy cannabis.

Always Put Your Kids’ Needs First

This may sound obvious, as most moms and dads always strive to make sure their kids come first. But whether you’re a passionate golfer or a fervent pot smoker, it’s sometimes really hard to juggle kids and hobbies.

The best rule of thumb is to make sure all of your child’s needs are taken care of first before you roll up a joint or bake a pot brownie. If your child is tired and cranky, don’t force them to get to bed late because you wanted to pick up some extra weed that night. And obviously, if your kid is going hungry, it’s not the best time to invest in extra weed.

Teach Your Kids About Responsible Smoking

Being a weed-loving parent is a great opportunity to become a weed teacher. There are some awesome pro-cannabis kids books out there like It’s Just a Plant by Ricardo Cortés. This educational tale teaches kids that pot really isn’t a big deal, but is often demonized and scapegoated by our society.

Take your kids to pro-cannabis rallies, read up on the latest laws and news together, and always reassure them you’re happy to answer any questions.

Don’t Become That Weed-Obsessed Parent

This all being said, you don’t want weed to completely dominate your life and parenting. If you’re showing up to playdates stoned out of your mind (or worse, parent-teacher conferences), you may want to rethink your strategy. Your kids will be super embarrassed if you’re “that stoner” mom or dad.

You know, the one who puts pot first in every conversation. Who brags they have the best weed. Remember, these are your kids here. You want to model responsible smoking and show that stoners have other interests and hobbies. So leave the college days of smoking a soda can bong in front of everyone far behind you. It’s just not a good look anymore.

Create Healthy Boundaries

Most weed-loving parents likely worry about this. Will I harm my child by smoking in front of them? Is it bad to let them know how much I love weed?

So let them know it’s an adult activity that they will get to enjoy someday. Create healthy boundaries. This doesn’t mean you have to yell at them for trying pot on their own. But like with any adult substance, it’s not something you want to be doing with them and their friends. Talk about humiliating.

Keep Your Stuff Stashed Away

We know, you’re super proud of that hand-carved ivory bong you just bought on sale. And while it’s okay to display some pot leaves and smoking tools around the kids, keep your weed stashed and locked where they can’t reach it. Little kids especially are known for digging into everything and anything.

You don’t want to have to drive them to the hospital and explain to the doc why they’re puking pot stems. This also goes back to responsible smoking and healthy boundaries. Your teens may want to “steal” from your stash, so make sure to hide it in an appropriate place.

Julia Rubin is a Brooklyn-based author. Her work has appeared in publications like the North American Review, The Lascaux Review, and Sierra Nevada Review, and she has written for a variety of online media companies like AllDay and Wetpaint Entertainment